Cpl Roman F. Klick 36620923
Co "A", 353rd Engr Regt
A.P.O. #502, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
28 December 1943

Greetings from New Caledonia, Aunty Clara. I just want to keep in practice using the name of our Island. Many times when I would write letters to you, I would unconsciously begin writing out New Caledonia just before I remembered that I wasn't allowed to do so.

After rushing out this afternoon's letter, I made supper in the nick of time. A few more minutes and I might have been feeding on Hershey bars this evening instead of lamb, mashed potatoes, iced tea etcetera. Larry and I wasted quite a long time in the mess hall, first eating and then sitting around talking. From there we went to take a shower and by the time we came back from there, we found out that show time was fast approaching. The show for tonight was "Murders In Times Square" with Edmund Lowe, Margerite Chapman and John Litel. It wasn't a Class A picture by a long shot although it was good enough to keep the interest up with a run of excitement to boot.

But before the show we had to sit thru a conglomeration of things. For one thing, Captain Cook, our orientation officer was up to his usual fifteen minute lecture tricks about the war all of which was old stuff since we had read these same things either in the paper or in magazines. Then came the movies with a GI film entitled "The War". This "The War" film is about how the soldiers are fighting the war and about how the people back home are taking it. Of course the thing is no up to the minute edition because they ran one part all about the Wacs celebrating their 1st birthday back in May of 1943. Following this film came another touching reel all about --- guess what --- the war. For the twentieth time we have seen one angle or another of Germany's resurgence as a military power after World War I. I used to be romantic about seeing recent history put on the screen but after seeing the same old story told and retold again and again, it becomes monotonous.

That ended the GI films and we got the three pictures for the evening, the main feature and two shorts. Here we were met with a surprise because the first one was about that unique subject which doesn't seem to hit our screen very often. Puzzled? Well it was about the war, "Hands in Victory". This one was strictly corn because a famous hand specialist tells how the various lines in famous people's hands prove that they were just the kind of people they are. The soldiers recognized the humbug of the situation and everyone commented humorously throughout the entire reel. One more short came before the regular feature and this one was the only decent one although not so very if you know what I mean. It was older than the hills and had a community sing version of Rudy Vallee singing the "Stein Song".

After the show we came across a funny incident. There was a fellow sleeping soundly in front of the stage, just across the road from the screen. At first everyone thought he was out from the so-called Butterfly Rum which is a load of native home brew dynamite but it turned out that he actually was sleeping. The crowd gathered around while Goldenberg shook him to wake him up. He didn't realize where he was at with all the lights on and so many people standing around him and the Goldenberg said, "I don't blame you for falling asleep through that lousy picture, I fell asleep myself".

It is ten o'clock right now and I'm very tired. I can see that I'll not have the opportunity to get at Galsworthy again. Now that I am anxious to get on with the book my time seems to be running short. In fact, I never did get to finish my Daily News for today.

Whether or not I answer Bob Hesser's letter this evening is still a moot point which depends on how much time I have left after I drop Aunty Florence a small note.

A continuation of my description of this adopted land of New Caledonia which I began yesterday will have to wait until the morrow.

So-long,   /s/ Roman   Roman